"So you have finally got yourself a toy," my father mocked.

I left Dimitrius inside my room since I didn't want him to be seen by my family, especially my father. I've asked one of the servants to deliver a blood bag to him.

Dimitrius was very quiet, he never talked. He stayed on the couch and rested while I slept at my bed. His face was serious and it didn't even change for one bit.

"That toy you call, his name is Dimitrius, father," I said. Why can't they have names? It's like stealing their identity from who they really are.

"Careful with your tone, young woman," my mother warned. Of course, he would side with my dad. Everyone sides with him, even if he's wrong.

"Is your pet trained?" Jonathan had asked. What would I say? "Yes, Dimitrius is trained" I answered while making sure I was clear and loud when I mentioned his name.

Half of it was a lie. If they knew that Dimitrius wasn't trained, it would not be such a good day for him.

"Is that so?" Jonathan smirked and added, "I miss having a show, father," he suggested. A show? So he wants to torture a vampire.

My father agreed and so did my mother. "He hasn't disobeyed any rules, why would I punish him?" I protested.

"Not wearing his collar, punishable, right?" How did my father know about Dimitrius' collar?

"I took it out myself, father," I objected. Both my father and my dear brother were teaming up against me, making me helpless.

My mother just sat in front of me, eating her breakfast. Were they really my family? Whenever I am with them, I feel like asking, who are these people?

"Bring Felicity's slave in the dining halls, slave," my father instructed. At this moment, I feel like my stomach is twisting. My father is indeed a cruel man.

I waited for someone to bring Dimitrius and it surprised me how he entered the hall by himself. I knew I had to save him before my father could hurt him which he does not deserve.

"Remember the rules, obey the orders," I whispered and hoped that he heard me. Vampires have better hearing abilities, it make's them hear the slightest sounds.

After what I said, he looked down and nodded. That means he heard me. I never told Dimitrius the rules, I know I should have because now, he'll be in trouble.

"Ah, so this is him?" My father said and stood from the table. He held a whip in his hand and circled Dimitrius. I swear he could hear my heart pounding.

"Let's make it fun, shall we?" My brother interrupted. "For every wrongdoing that he does, Felicity gets to lash him with the whip," he said.

My brother is seventeen. He was born into this cruel world. We both were but I chose to find light in this darkness but he didn't. He lived in the darkness where all souls were tainted.

Now, I begin to stop hoping that one day, he would change and find compassion towards the inferior. If only he wasn't part of this royal family, he would have been much kinder.

"Fair enough," my father concurred. "Dimitrius," my father called out. Then, he made his first mistake. Never look into his eye and he did.

My father grinned and I knew he was happy. "This is trained? The simple rule of not looking into one's eye, he couldn't follow," my father laughed.

"Five lashes, Felicity," Jonathan demanded. I didn't want to get up from my seat because the last thing I wanted to do was cause him pain.

"If you don't do it, your brother will be very happy to substitute." My father handed the whip to Jonathan and he started walking slowly towards Dimitrius.

Before he could even raise the whip and land it on his body, I said, "I'll do it."

Jonathan turned around and gave me an evil look. Dimitrius was still standing, looking on the ground. When my father told me to go on, I picked up the whip with shaking hands.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered.

Never have I hit a vampire before. If anything, I have helped them more than letting them suffer. Sometimes, I feel like one of them, I feel their pain.

With that, I brought my hand up and swung. A swoosh echoed through the whole dining hall before the end of the whip hit Dimitrius' shoulder.

It gave him a red mark but my hit wasn't hard enough to draw blood. Thank God! I mumbled to myself. The last thing I would want to see is a bleeding vampire because of me.

With the same force I used, I hit him four more times. Dimitrius did not flinch or hiss in pain. He stayed there, frozen and silent, completely at our mercy.

My father stepped again and asked, "What's your name?" I knew he was tricking him so I quickly whispered, "Whatever you want to call me, King."

Surely, he heard that and said what I exactly told him. His eyes never left the ground as he spoke the words that I said to him. My father expected him to fall into his trap and thankfully, he did not.

I dropped the whip on the floor, it disgusted me so much. Anything that causes pain is loathing.

"You're done here for today," my mother finally spoke. By the look in my eyes, she knew how much I had hated what they made me do.

"Excuse us," I spoke and left the dining area. I didn't finish my meal, I just lost my appetite.

We went back to my room and the look on my face was still there. If only Jonathan shut up, I wouldn't have to do that.

"Are you okay?" I asked Dimitrius. He answered me with a monosyllabic word, "Fine."

"Look, I know you hate me so much but I didn't want to hurt you," I said to him with a genuine tone.

He didn't look at me instead, he spoke, "I said, I'm fine."

• • • • •

Hello! So this is the fourth chapter and I just want to tell the readers how thankful I am for your support! Even though this only has reached fifty reads, it still means a lot to me.

1) How do you think of the story so far?

2) Do you want cast members?

3) Would it be better if I sometimes switch the point of views?

* Please vote and comment any ideas/suggestions*